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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. track — a song
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. track — a path
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — the fish
  24. tube — the underground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com